Allegiance
by Imperial Lung
Summary: Jiang Wei has always been steadfast when it comes to commitment, but a decision to choose between two kingdoms may stretch his loyalty to the limit. For how can you possible choose between a place where you were born and one where you are allowed to grow?
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This is slightly AU or PU (or something) due to presence of characters who are supposedly dead. Also, forgive any of my mistakes with historical info and the length of the chapter. Read on. 

_Dynasty Warriors_: Allegiance

**Chapter 1**

The lively chatter of his fellow officers made the spacious mess hall seem more packed than it actually was to Jiang Wei, making him feel slightly uneasy. It hadn't been long since he had joined the kingdom of Shu and, despite the more or less warm welcome he had received, he still felt like he didn't quite fit in. He got up, abandoning his still almost full plate and deciding that the quiet of his room would best cure his discomfort. No one paid him any attention as he left the hall.

The noise level dropped considerably as Wei closed the door behind him and he inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. The corridors were empty save an occasional servant, and he was glad to be spared of the awkward moments of meeting a passing Shu general--he was still unsure of how to act in their presence.

The flickering light of a candle coming through a partially open door caught Po-yueh's eye and he paused to look. Immediately recognizing the form of his master clad in his usual white Taoist robe, the sight prompted him to remember that Zhuge Liang had been absent from the mess hall for the past few days. _Perhaps he is busy planning an expedition_, he thought distractedly. _Either way, it's none of my business_. He began to back away from the door, but suddenly the prime minister spoke up without turning.

"Jiang Wei, do you have a moment?" came the calm voice, startling him. Slightly ashamed at being caught, Wei meekly entered the room and stood next to him. Zhuge Liang glanced at the boy and indicated the map spread out across the worn wood of his table. "We have just received word from our spies in Wei that a certain Sima Yi has just set up camp on the peak of Mt. Qi near the borders of Shu. He is a new figure in our battle against Cao Cao's kingdom. Would you happen to know anything of him?"

Jiang Wei shook his head truthfully. "No, sir. Only that he is one of Cao Cao's most able advisors. However, I've never really heard any proof of his prowess in the battlefield."

Liang seemed thoughtful at this and fell silent. Wei, used to these periodical silences during the lessons with his master, simply waited for him to speak again. When he did, he turned to look directly at Jiang Wei. "This map shows Mount Qi and it's surrounding area. If the Wei camp is situated here-" he pointed at a symbol on the northeast portion of the scroll. "-how would you propose to attack them?"

"S-sir?" _Why was he asking _him_ that?_

"I'm asking you what you would do in order to capture their camp," Zhuge Liang repeated patiently. "What would be the best strategy in this situation?"

Po-yueh, a bit nervous to be asked his opinion of an obviously important situation, answered after extremely careful though. "Since there are only three narrow roads leading up to the crest of the mountain with a cliff to the back of the camp, three legions would suffice to surround them," he said, tentatively watching his teacher's expression for signs that he was answering correctly or not. "However, ambush troops are most likely set along the roads so the best plan would probably be to concentrate on one road-"

K'ung-ming held up a hand, stopping his words. "Yes, that was also my train of thought," he said, seeming to approve of his answer. "On the other hand, a less experienced strategist would probably only go as far as thinking that the camp would be vulnerable if all three roads were cut off. If we follow that plan, the enemy will surely underestimate us, making them vulnerable to a different strategy. When planning a tactic, you must contradict even your own thoughts."

"Yes, prime minister," Wei answered obediently, taking to mind the lesson. Soon after this, Liang dismissed him and Jiang Wei bowed before leaving. When he was back in the corridor, he noticed that the torches lining the walls had been lit, signaling the nearing darkness. Not wanting to meet the crowd of officers returning to their rooms from the mess hall, the young strategist hurried for the safety of his room.

* * *

As soon as Zhuge Liang had received permission from Liu Bei for the attack on Mt. Qi, he had set off at once. Of the other leaders who had volunteered to assist him, he had chosen Jiang Wei and Wei Yan--thelatter probably not being the wisest choice, but he required someone with brute force for one part of his strategy. His legion of no more than two score of men followed behind the prime minister's trotting steed in relatively good order, knowing that the expedition was one of great significance. 

The commander glanced back at his student who was just behind his own troop and noticed him looking at Wei Yan with something that was almost contempt. He couldn't reprimand him for this, however, since during the battle of Tian Shui, it had been Wei Yan who had attacked and injured Po-yueh despite Liang's warning. The masked general may have even killed the boy if he hadn't intervened… On the other hand, Jiang Wei may not have joined Shu if he hadn't experienced this act of kindness from K'ung-ming. Shaking his head slightly, he refocused his thoughts on the present.

* * *

The march towards Mt. Qi was luckily not so long and they managed to reach its base within a couple of days. Jiang Wei, despite his love for his steed, was exhausted from spending long days in the saddle. As the soldiers began to set up camp in an area walled in on one side by an outcropping rock, Wei went up a small rise near the edge of the clearing to take a look at the surrounding area. Since it was common for the earlier arriving army to attack the opponent when they were fatigued from a march, he made sure to keep his trident close at hand. 

Since there were no nearby villages, much of the landscape was taken up by wilderness, making all of the three roads up the mountain hard to traverse. This was probably why the Wei army had kept their march so covert that the Shu spies had been unable to hear of it until after they had set off--soldiers struggling over terrain as difficult as this would make them easy targets. But now it was too late for that. Wei's golden brown eyes narrowed slightly as he tried to catch sight of the Wei camp from his position, but all that marked its presence were thin curls of smoke, presumably from cooking fires.

Looking off to his right, Po-yueh notice his master standing at a point not far away, apparently deep in thought, with the tip of his feather fan resting against his chin. Fearing for his safety with the enemy so close, he approached their commander and stood just behind him to keep an eye out for snipers. "What is my role in the attack on the Wei camp, prime minister?" he asked to give reason to his simply standing there in case Zhuge Liang would be insulted of having to be guarded.

Liang spoke though continued to sweep his piercing gaze across the entrances of the four passes. "There are three generals, supposedly guarding a pass each. You, Wei Yan and myself will each engage one of them at the same time. However, you must not harm the generals themselves just yet--I have another plan in store for them later. In this attack, it is imperative that you follow the orders I give; no matter how inappropriate it seems. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," Wei replied promptly, but couldn't help wondering what K'ung-ming had in mind. It wasn't unusual for his teacher not to share his exact ploy, but the strategist-in-training wondered if he would ever trust him enough to ask his opinion… _All in good time_, Jiang Wei told himself firmly, following the commander back to the safety of the camp.


	2. Chapter 2

_Dynasty Warriors_: Allegiance 

**Chapter 2**

The early morning mountain air felt cold despite the hurried movements within the Shu camp. Jiang Wei listened quietly to the noise of the soldiers around him as they ran about, taking up weapons and donning their armor. His own steed nickered quietly; flicking its ears in annoyance at the din and Wei hastily stroked its mane to calm it. Since the terrain was difficult, only the three generals had brought horses and because of this, they would be the ones who could most easily move around the battlefield. But somehow, this didn't make him feel any more at ease at facing his old kingdom.

"General Wei?"

Wei looked back and saw his lieutenant Ma Zhong approaching. He nodded in greeting, acknowledging the Shu officer before speaking, "What is it?" Zhong indicated the troops already in an orderly formation that stood a little ways behind him. "Your unit is ready to move, sir. Where shall I send them?"

Po-yueh took a second to remember his master's instructions before he gestured to the pass farthest to the west of the camp. His lieutenant bowed before leading the unit towards the specified direction. The boy sighed and mounted his horse, getting ready to follow, when a presence just behind him caused him to hesitate. When he looked down from his charger, he found the veteran general Wei Yan standing there, eying him.

The strategist-in-training stiffened slightly, but could do nothing since Yan was higher than he was in rank. "Did you need something, Master Wei Yan?" he asked with obviously forced respect. After a pause, the general said simply in a guttural tone, "Don't be disloyal." Then he walked off towards the opposite end of the camp where his own troop was waiting. Wei frowned after him, unable to work out if those words had been a threat or a friendly caution. Deciding to shrug it off, he directed his gaze back towards his unit and urged his horse after them.

* * *

Jiang Wei gripped tightly onto his mount's reins as he swung his trident in a deadly arc, cutting down a Wei soldier. The trampled earth about him was dark with the blood of both ally and enemy. The intense battle had stretched on into midday and Wei was beginning to tire. The narrow mountain path made it harder for both Shu and Wei to get all their men up at once, giving neither an advantage. Yet, with the hard efforts of the men, they both managed to hold their ground. 

Turning aside an arrow shot by one of the blue-clad archers positioned on the trail ahead of them, Po-yueh decided to move to the back of his unit to somewhat take a rest. When he reached a calmer area, he dismounted and tried to regain some of his energy. As he was doing so, he noticed a Shu soldier, who he vaguely remembered to belong to Zhuge Liang's troop, hurrying towards him.

The man slid to a stop in front of Wei and bowed low before reporting hurriedly, "The prime minister has just given orders for all units to pull back from Mt. Qi. He has also specified that you must avoid further attacking of the enemy."

It didn't take long for Jiang Wei to catch onto his mentor's strategy. _Of course. If we can lure them far enough, it will give us the advantage we need_, he thought. He nodded to the messenger before getting back onto his horse and riding back into the crowd of soldiers. "Everyone, fall back!" he ordered loudly, riding towards the front lines so his whole unit would hear. "Fall back to the main camp!" The men, being trusting veterans, didn't hesitate to obey.

Fei Yao, the general of the opposite legion, seemed delighted in their decision to retreat. He flourished his sword as he ordered his men into pursuit. Wei, realizing that he had gotten a little too close to the enemy lines, reined in his steed in false panic and wheeled it back towards his fleeing unit. The young strategist deliberately wove across the pass to entice the enemy closer to their camp and only broke his horse into a full gallop as soon as the enemy troop was close enough.

Po-yueh soon caught up with his legion and they slowed their pace slightly as they prepared to move out of the battlefield. But then for the second time within a day, he caught sight of a Shu soldier--another messenger--coming towards him. This man, however, seemed more panicked than the first one had been. "Sir, General Wei Yan has deliberately ignored the prime minister instructions and is continuing his attack!" he cried. "Please, you must stop him-!" Immediately seeing how dangerous this action as to Zhuge Liang's strategy, Wei nodded and hurried to his lieutenant's side.

Catching Ma Zhong by the shoulder, Wei leaned down from the saddle to speak to him without being overheard. "Zhong, you must lead our troops along the back route towards Fei Yao and his men," he said in an urgent undertone. "When the prime minister gives the signal, launch the ambush. Understood?" Zhong nodded and ran off to guard the retreat of the unit while Jiang Wei went in the opposite direction through a small side path to talk to Wei Yan.

Wei pushed his horse as fast as it could go over the uneven terrain in his urgency. Trees and rocks flashed by and he had to guide his steed with the utmost care to keep it from tripping. As he emerged from the back road into the middle pass leading up to the summit, he briefly caught sight of Liang and his troop, but he didn't pause here for long, since Wei Yan was in the pass on the far side.

Dodging tree branches that threatened to sweep him from his mount, Po-yueh hoped he wouldn't be too late. Presently, the legion under Wei Yan came into Po-yueh's line of vision. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Xiahou Ba, the general in charge of the pass, was nowhere in sight. The plan could still push through, as long as he managed to convince Yan to follow orders. The mentioned veteran was close by, hacking away at the enemy lines from his dark-haired horse. Wei didn't give him a chance to continue up the now cleared path. He jabbed his heels into his horse's side and deftly blocked the general's way. "Master Wei Yan, you must retreat," he said forcefully, telling himself not to be intimidated by the higher-ranking general.

"I can still fight," was the rough reply as Wei Yan glared at the boy through his mask. He attempted to move around Jiang Wei, but the strategist's mind was set. He guided his horse back into Yan's path, knowing they would be in danger if they started to retreat when the enemy general arrived. "_Please_, general," he said desperately, hearing the approach of the horse presumably belonging to Xiahou Ba. They were running out of time. "You must protect the prime minister during his withdrawal!"

The general seemed to hesitate at the mention of Zhuge Liang. Finally, he wheeled his horse around and set off back towards the mountain foot without another word, followed by his relieved troop. Po-yueh let out the breath he realized he had been holding. _Now the ploy can push through_. Just then, he felt something heading towards him and ducked instinctively--a spear scythed through the air where his head had been. Fighting to control his distressed horse, he turned and saw that Xiahou Ba and his two lieutenants were already upon him.

Panic welled within Wei, and he urged his horse back down the road Wei Yan had taken. However this proved to be too much for his horse, exhausted as it was from having to run such a distance on rough grounds. It stumbled almost immediately and Jiang Wei was thrown from the saddle, his trident tumbling down the mountain road and out of reach. He struggled to regain his feet, but when he looked up, he found a spear leveled to his face. Glancing tentatively around, he found himself practically enclosed in a cage of enemies--he was trapped.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: I know this is not what really happened, but it's changed for plot reasons. 

_Dynasty Warriors_: Allegiance

**Chapter 3**

Jiang Wei stood uneasily amongst the Wei soldiers, looking carefully around for a breach in their ranks through which he could escape. But there didn't seem to be one at the moment. The general who had managed to corner him was discussing with his lieutenants, apparently unsure if they should just kill him—this was probably because they had never seen him before since this was his first battle against Wei. He hoped that he could take advantage of their confusion somehow.

Even as Po-yueh readied himself to run for it as soon as he found a gap in the wall of soldiers around him, he heard the sound of an approaching troop coming from the direction of the Wei main camp. A man on a fine black horse wove his way easily towards Xiahou Ba, drawing the eyes of everyone on the path. This should have been Wei's chance to escape, but he froze when he saw the characters written on the fluttering standard of the man's troop. _Sima Yi… the commander-in-chief!_

It wasn't usual for a commander to go out onto the battlefield so early into the fight—this would have been a perfect opportunity for an ambush. But sadly, Jiang Wei had no way or time to alert any Shu troops to prepare one. The Shu strategist noticed the cold gaze of the enemy commander on him and felt a tinge of sudden fear in his chest. He quickly looked away and tried not to shudder.

"What do we have here?"

As the Wei generals explained to him—Po-yueh noticed that they too were acting somewhat agitated—the young strategist tried to edge discreetly back the way he had come. But the soldiers on that side noticed him and readied their grips on their weapons threateningly, forcing him to stop. His second chance had soon passed as all the other officers turned their attention on him again.

The officers had probably come to a decision that they should try to find out who he was before they decided what to do with him, as one of the lieutenants began to question him. But no matter what the Wei officer said, Jiang Wei kept stubbornly silent. Better to be killed than to have them find out that he was Zhuge Liang's apprentice. But even as Xiahou attempted to pry some answers from him, Wei noticed Sima Yi looking at him with something like recognition. …But that was impossible. The two had never even crossed paths before.

Then, much to the Wei soldiers' surprise, Sima Yi dismounted and headed towards Po-yueh armed only with a black feathered fan, very similar to Liang's white one. The strategist-in-training stiffened, warily watching Yi's approach. Despite the protests of the other officers, Sima Yi continued towards the center of the group of soldiers. The man stopped just out of range of Wei, just in case he tried to attack, but close enough so that only the boy could hear him.

"You are very familiar… You are the son of the Tian Shui soldier Jiang Qiong, are you not?" Yi asked in a low tone ringing with something like fake courtesy. Wei was honestly startled, though he fought to not let it show on his face. Since he had arrived at Shu, K'ung-ming had helped him create a false background portraying him as originally from Liu Bei's kingdom. He doubted _any_ Wei generals knew of his defection, since he hadn't been very well known even in his hometown of Tian Shui. Then how could Sima Yi know…?

"I saw your father once," Yi stated calmly, obviously noticing the flash of affirmation in Jiang Wei's eyes despite the attempt to hide it. "I may not know your name, but if you really _are_ Jiang Qiong's son, that means you were originally of Wei. And I'm sure you know that the penalty of defection is and always has been death." Even at this, Wei realized that he didn't feel too frightened. Dying for his kingdom would be a noble death…

"Of course, that penalty will also extend to any of your direct family members."

These words were seemingly the only things that could have stirred so much fear within Po-yueh. He had been found out—now his mother was in danger! His reaction to finally comprehending the full force of being discovered must have shown, for the Wei strategist then smirked at him. Jiang Wei struggled to keep his panic in check. Even if he himself managed to escape to the safety of Shu now, his mother would never stand a chance…!

"However, I have an alternative for you." Wei looked hesitantly back at the commander, having a bad feeling about what he was going to propose. "Only I know of this. If you decide to return to Wei and serve under me instead, your defection need not be reported to Lord Cao Cao," Sima Yi said, a sly look crossing his face. "I will allow you to leave for now. But if you do not come to the Wei main camp by sunset, I will assume that you have declined my offer. Then your family will be hunted down to suffer the consequence for you." The strategist raised his voice so the soldiers could hear, ordering them out of Po-yueh's way.

Wei felt the weight of overwhelming hopelessness settle over him as he ran to collect his trident and steed before tearing away back down the path. Though he was now free from the cage of Wei soldiers, he knew that he was still in Sima Yi's trap with no way to escape it. Even if he managed to convince his master to let him go to Tian Shui to save his mother, Wei spies were bound to find him out. The message would get to the town far before he did and his mother would be killed. Then again if he _did_ surrender, those of Shu would probably try to get rid of him before he relayed all of Zhuge Liang's teachings into enemy hands. Besides, how could he turn on the first person to have acknowledged and nurtured Wei's talent?

Either way, this was a no-win situation.

As Jiang Wei's horse pounded down the mountain path, its rider was pulled back to the battle some months ago between the defenders of Tian Shui and Shu—the fight wherein Po-yueh had first met Zhuge Liang.

_The people of Tian Shui were ecstatic. The villagers had poured into the street almost immediately after the defenders had announced their victory against Shu. Similar celebrations were probably going on in their close neighbors An Ding and Nan An as well._

_But Jiang Wei knew better._

_The young soldier hurried through the back roads leading to his home, leading his horse behind him, unnoticed by any of his fellow townsfolk. He moved quickly, trying to be discreet and attempting to bandage his arm that had been slashed by that cursed Wei Yan. He gave up, however, as he reached the small house set against Tian Shui castle. Po-yueh quickly tied his chestnut horse outside and entered. He found his mother, one of the only people not out rejoicing in the street, sitting at the table near the door, apparently anxious. Her expression softened when she caught sight of Wei._

_"I was worried," she said gently, gesturing her son to sit with her. "The soldiers returned long ago. What took you so long to get back, Po-yueh?" Jiang Wei didn't answer right away as he sat, trying to organize the whirl of events in his head. Finally, as his mother began to bind his injured forearm for him, he managed to relate to her how he had met the enemy commander, Zhuge Liang and how he had been invited to join Shu as an apprentice. Wei's only condition had been for Liang to withdraw the army from Tian Shui—which he had already done. Hehesitated then said with a slightly sad smile, "But I really shouldn't go. I have to stay here and take care of you, mother."_

_His mother sighed and shook her head as she finished knotting the strip of cloth she had used as a bandage. "Po-yueh, even I know that Master Ma Zun is blind to your talents," she said serenely, and Wei knew she was stating a truth. "If he had listened to your advice for this battle, less people would have died. This is a heaven sent opportunity—you must take advantage of it." She looked at him and smiled, a little tiredly. "Don't worry about me. Go."_

_Jiang Wei nodded reluctantly and stood. His mother always thought of what was best for him despite herself… He hugged his mother briefly and hurried to collect a few personal items from the house. Just before he left, he paused at the doorway. "Mother… It would be best if you just forgot about me. If anyone asks, I died in the battle. It would be safest for you if no one knows of my leaving Wei." He knew that him leaving was painful enough, but this was the only way to keep his mother safe._

_The elderly lady nodded, obviously trying to keep a steady expression, for Po-yueh's sake. With a final farewell, Wei ran outside, tied his satchel of belongings to the saddle and mounted his steed. He urged it into a quick gallop, heading in the direction of the retreating Shu army._


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: It's been about 4 years since my last update (and almost as long since I've even written any fanfics) so all my readers are probably gone by now—but it just feels too awkward leaving this unfinished, so I'll get to the end, one way or another.

_Dynasty Warriors_: Allegiance

**Chapter 4**

Weighed down by both the exhaustion from the earlier battle (which seemed to have happened so long ago) as well as from the dizzying effort to come up with a solution to his current predicament, Jiang Wei stumbled to the side of the path somewhere halfway down Mount Qi, pulling his equally dejected steed behind him. He collapsed against a comforting outcrop of rock, gripping his trident with trembling hands, and tried to catch his breath.

Remembering his teacher's lessons a bit belatedly, Wei closed his eyes to calm himself, focusing first on regaining his strength. As his gasping eased, the boy began to mentally layout the situation, thinking of all possible options first, as he had been taught. However, in all his lessons with the prime minister, none had been so penetrating and personal as this—the panic and worry lay coiled behind his logic, disjoining thoughts and interfering with his hard-earned calm.

Po-yueh opened his eyes and looked towards the west, stubbornly trying to arrange his calculations. With the onslaught of evening eating away at the light, he gauged sunset—the deadline of his pseudo-decision—to be less than an hour away. It would take him just about that long to get to either enemy or friend encampment, but not both. If he were to ask Zhuge Liang for his guidance, as he so often did, it would allow Sima Yi the first move. A messenger dispatched to Tian Shui would take mere days of travel to deliver word of Jiang Wei's defection, leaving his mother to the mercy of Wei.

_Messenger…_

This realization sparked hope into the apprentice's mind and he latched onto it almost desperately—word could be sent to K'ung-ming, giving early warning of Wei's supposed disloyalty, his seeming second betrayal. He could then surrender to Sima Yi, a delay to buy just enough time for Liang to send protection for his family.

With trust only affected on a father figure such as Zhuge Liang, Po-yueh assured himself that the strategist would surely help him and not abandon him and his mother to the kingdom Wei had only just managed to escape.

But even as he thought this, Jiang Wei paused and realized with dismay that though he was sure his plan would work, he had no way nor time to contact any of his allies. If all had gone according to his master's strategy (or at least the part of which he knew of), the entire Shu army would be currently in hiding in the narrow trenches between the three passes of Qi, preparing their ambush on the three respective generals if ever they attempted to return to camp.

Frustrated, Wei pushed himself to his feet, staring around the deserted pass as if expecting a Shu soldier to be watching him from the nearby foliage. However, as he did so, he felt a sharp pain at his right ankle and he fell back against the rock he had been leaning against, more in surprise than anything. His trident clattered to the ground for the second time that day as he clutched the stone for balance and gingerly tested his foot.

Wincing again, Po-yueh realized dully that he must have injured it when attempting to escape from Xiahou Ba earlier and had only overlooked it due to the adrenaline of being cornered by the enemy. His situation seemed to be getting darker by the minute, a circumstance accented almost tauntingly by the overcast sky as sunset neared.

A sudden clatter of movement to his left made Jiang Wei start, and he shifted instinctively into a defensive stance, ignoring the flare of pain in his injured ankle. A dark-coated horse came into view from below, heading up the path with its rather disgruntled looking rider.

"General Wei Yan?" the strategist-in-training said in disbelief, his distaste for the senior officer forgotten momentarily with this heaven-sent advantage. He relaxed slightly, just enough to ease the weight off his foot—he still refused to trust the general, particularly now that he was all but incapacitated.

The masked general grunted in acknowledgement, pulling his steed to a stop next to the rock Jiang Wei had been leaning against. Almost as if to dispel any kindness in his action, Yan explained shortly, "Zhuge Liang sent me to look for you."

The mention of his teacher's name prompted Wei into remembering the predicament he was in. He fully understood that he would get no other opportunity, yet he was still loathe to leave the life of his mother to this officer who had once tried to kill him. The strategist in him forced him to take action though. With the fast approaching deadline in mind, he ground out, "General, I need to ask you a favor."

Wei Yan cocked his head at him, though behind the mask, Po-yueh was unsure if the rider was surprised that the boy would ask anything of him, or was simply indicating that he was listening. He continued anyway. "There's been… an unexpected development and I need you to deliver a message to the prime minister."

"Explain."

Wei flinched slightly at the grunt, already wondering how he could get Yan to just agree to go with as little time and effort possible. "You understand my situation with the Wei kingdom, don't you? I've been discovered by the enemy general, and if I don't yield to him, my family will suffer for my defection--" "So you are being disloyal?" Wen-ch'ang cut in, glowering down at the boy. "Should I just kill you here, then?"

"That's not it!" Jiang Wei burst out in frustration, forgetting respect and manners in his rising panic. "I'm only surrendering to buy time! Just stop asking questions and get back down to the main camp to explain it to master Liang so he can do something about it!"

The rude command rang densely through the silence of the pass, and Wei almost instantly regretted his words. Not only was he of lower rank, general Wei Yan was not likely to let usurpation of command go unpunished. He darkly wished he hadn't dropped his trident earlier.

The stalemate between the two Shu officers stretched, and Po-yueh resisted the urge to dive for his weapon. When Wei Yan moved, the strategist tensed visibly before realizing that the older general was _nodding_. "I will tell Zhuge Liang. But if this turns out to be a Wei ploy, I will kill you. Now get going." Yan gestured a bit violently up the mountain, apparently wanting to watch the boy go, to assess the truth in Wei's words.

Jiang Wei inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. After awkwardly bending to retrieve his weapon, he moved to his horse to re-mount. Gripping onto the saddle, he paused, realizing with some embarrassment that with his injury he would not be able to get back on his steed easily. His hesitation and pain must have been more obvious than he had thought, and Wei almost panicked when he felt a strong, rough hand grip him by the back of the collar.

Just as he was about to lash out in self-defense, Po-yueh felt himself get lifted up and into the saddle, with little difficulty from the masked general. Humbled, he looked up towards Wei Yan to force out a thank you, but the other officer had already started off towards the Shu camp. He shrugged this off a bit shakily and instead turned to look up at the mountain peak, shrouded now in twilight.

Though Wei knew that all that awaited him was unwilling servitude or possible torture for the extraction of Zhuge Liang's teachings, they seemed little important to him at that moment, assured as he was that his mother would be safe. He nudged his horse into a gallop, the pain in his jarred foot going unacknowledged as he rode willingly into Sima Yi's trap.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: This is progressing more easily than I thought. Expect an update at least once a week if I'm able to keep up this momentum. Also, just like to thank you for your reviews and support.

_Dynasty Warriors_: Allegiance

**Chapter 5**

_A lone rider calmly approaching an enemy troop probably seems beyond suspicious_, Jiang Wei though dully, tamping down the fear that was starting to rise now that he was so close to the enemy. More than the Wei army itself, it was the memory of the commander-in-chief's cold eyes and condescending smirk that chilled his heart. He truly did not wish to meet this Sima Yi again, the man who had so easily seen through him and taken control, as naturally as one introducing himself. A strategist like that could be an equal match to his prime minister, much as Wei hated to admit it.

A soldier's call of alarm broke Po-yueh's train of thought and he realized that he had come into sight of the temporary guard post that Xiahou Ba's troop had erected across the third pass. No more than a makeshift wing of the main camp, the station consisted mostly of a motley wall of soldiers, many sitting on the ground beside their weapons, regaining their energy after the previous fight. Wei had to admit that this was an efficient arrangement, allowing the troops a shorter distance to travel if ever they were to engage the Shu soldiers again.

Many eyes were trained on him as the strategist-in-training slowed his horse to a stop a short distance away, keeping just out of bow range. He remained cautious despite his intent to appear submissive, unsure as he was if Sima Yi had even cared to share the news of his possible "surrender" to the other officers.

The answer to this was likely in the negative, since Jiang Wei noticed the confusion amongst the ranks at his appearance. This continued for a short while, with him waiting patiently for them to order themselves, until the general Xiahou himself was called forward from the back of the post to assess him.

The general immediately recognized Jiang Wei, but failed to comprehend why he had returned. Then again, he had not even understood why his commander had let the boy go so easily when they had cornered him a few hours earlier—now, perhaps he would find out.

"State your name and purpose here, Shu scum," he sneered haughtily, not intending to be intimidated by the younger man.

Hesitant to admit his weakness aloud, false as it might be, Po-yueh answered obediently but rather vaguely, "I am Jiang Wei, answering a summons from your commander." He noted Ba's suspicious glare and added, "I understand your wariness, so if it's necessary for me to disarm myself to gain his audience, then so be it."

The strategist-in-training dismounted, leaving his steed to return to the camp as it had been trained, and walked forward with his trident held loosely at his side. His ankle throbbed in protest, but he held his expression in check and did his best to mask the limp. The blue-clad soldiers nearest him stiffened, fearing a trap, but Wei took little notice of them as he stooped to place his trident on the ground. He then straightened up, stoically meeting Xiahou Ba's eyes again to wait for the verdict.

The Wei officer looked him over carefully, still unable to think of a reason for this boy to so readily walk into the lion's den. His misgivings still not satisfied, he ordered a nearby lieutenant over to Jiang Wei to inspect him for hidden weapons.

Po-yueh stood rigidly through the inspection, watching a foot soldier carry his trident away, safely out of his reach, and frowning against the lieutenant's unnecessarily invasive search for non-existent assassination tools. It took several minutes, but eventually he was proclaimed virtually harmless. At this, and a signal of approval from Ba, the Shu officer was promptly surrounded by an escort of five soldiers, who began to walk him up the path towards the main encampment.

* * *

Jiang Wei felt exposed and rather helpless without his weapon, particularly now that so many enemies surrounded him, any of which could dispatch him within seconds in his current state. To remedy his unease, he began to survey the surroundings as his wary guard hustled him along, both in an attempt to distract himself and to be armed with knowledge of the enemy base.

First to come into view were a scattering of relatively small cloth tents, each one enough to fit a score of men, arranged around the perimeter of the camp. Progressively larger, grander ones followed these. Wei guessed it had been arranged by rank, with the commander-in-chief's quarters placed wisely at the far corner, protected on all sides by soldiers and sheer, fenced-off cliff. He knew Sima Yi awaited him there, possibly with a mounted messenger by his side to spring the trap on Po-yueh's family if the boy failed to come by the deadline.

As the Shu officer took the landscape in, focusing his energy on memorizing the layout of tents and on ignoring the pain in his steps, he failed to pay attention to his immediate environment. This led to him colliding rather ungracefully with the guard in front of him as his escort came to a halt, resulting in several sharp blades being stabbed warningly in his direction. He snarled slightly, more against the twinge in his ankle from his misstep than from the affront.

There was a momentary pause as Po-yueh stared down the soldiers, but even _he_ had to admit that he hardly appeared threatening. The warriors around him remained motionless, perhaps waiting for him to try something. But even had he wanted to, Wei didn't have a chance to move when he heard a familiar, rather chilling voice ahead of them.

"Stand down men, is this any way to treat my guest?" Sima Yi asked, his voice light but with a dangerous undertone that none could miss. The blue warriors hastily obeyed, lowering their weapons and moving aside to allow their commander a clear path to Jiang Wei.

The apprentice straightened as best he could, steadily watching the enemy strategist's approach. Though he had not been so successful on their first encounter, he refused to show Sima Yi any more weakness, for fear of disgracing his master if ever he was found out. Though, he realized, there was a chance that he wasn't even known to be Zhuge Liang's student since he was such a recent addition. Perhaps the commander had simply wanted control over an officer on the inside, without realizing that his catch was more valuable than he thought.

"A wise decision to surrender," Yi said smoothly as he drew level with Jiang Wei. "Perhaps you're smarter than I gave you credit for. Now, come with me." The strategist waved off half-hearted offers for extra guards to accompany him, and instead headed back towards his tent, calmly fanning himself with the black feathers he clutched.

Wei hesitated briefly before trailing after his enemy, head down in seeming disgrace. His attention, however, was turned to a soldier standing to his right who was muttering a comment to his neighbor. Darting a discrete glance at the spearman's scabbard, the strategist-in-training passed unnecessarily close to the man but brushed past him without apparent incident.

As he continued up the path to the commander's tent, Wei carefully tucked the short, wood-handled dagger into his arm guard.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: I apologize for the lateness in updating. I won't give any excuses, but I hope you'll still continue to support me as you all so graciously have :)

_Dynasty Warriors_: Allegiance

**Chapter 6**

The filtered light through the canvas barely illuminated the tent, but this didn't seem to bother Sima Yi as he walked casually through the flap without a backward glance, assuming that Jiang Wei was following. The boy paused; confused why he was being allowed straight into the commander's quarters with the closest guards several feet away. He may have appeared unarmed, but even so, the older strategist's over confidence was so great, it was fairly unnerving.

Po-yueh entered slowly, stopping at the very edge of the doorway a bit awkwardly as he leaned his weight on his left leg and glanced around expectantly for any sign of danger. By this time, the Wei commander had lit a lamp, allowing the warm fire to keep back the invading darkness of evening, as well as bring the confines of the tent more clearly into view—which rather surprisingly didn't include lurking soldiers ready to kill the Shu officer. In fact, the interior was surprisingly simple, even for an army tent, and the only object that seemed to have been placed with much thought was the desk covered in scrolls by the corner. The sight reminded Wei rather painfully of his master.

Sima Yi sat himself calmly by the table and rounded on Jiang Wei, studying him languidly without speaking. The boy forced himself not to fidget, despite feeling as if the gaze could penetrate his very being and thoughts. He returned the look, wishing he could mimic Zhuge Liang's usual unruffled authority, and reminded himself of the other's possible ignorance of who he was.

"_I may not know your name, but if you really __are__ Jiang Qiong's son, that means you were originally of Wei__,"_ Yi had said when they first met. Po-yueh was simply a minor Wei soldier who had deserted, that was all the enemy knew. He barely counted as leverage in this scheme. If anything, he was just a means of Sima Yi gaining information with minimal effort. If this was the case, he could continue to hide his seniority in the Shu ranks and agree to give up trivial data, small details that any foot soldier might easily divulge—

"So, have you been able to send a message to your precious master Zhuge?" Sima Yi asked lightly, with the air of someone discussing the weather.

"Wh-what?" The word slipped out before Jiang Wei could help himself. The enemy strategist smirked at the barely hidden bewilderment on Wei's face. Black feathers swayed lazily as Yi tilted his fan towards him.

"Come now, Jiang Wei, don't be so quick to underestimate me. I did not become the head strategist to Lord Cao Cao himself by mere _luck_," the commander drawled, seeming to be enjoying this immensely. "Much as Zhuge Liang tried to cover your tracks for you, many written records of you were still left in Wei, minor character as you were. Quite careless of the supposedly great K'ung-ming."

Wei bristled at the insult but was silent, holding his tongue, as he should have the moment he stepped into the enemy camp. _Take from the enemy much, but give of yourself little_, the prime minister had taught him. But despite his efforts, it seemed this Sima Yi continually outwitted him, keeping _li_ ahead of him while revealing nothing about his own thoughts—a task that seemed almost inhuman.

"If you know who I am, then what do you want of me?" Po-yueh asked carefully, gripping the comforting wood handle of the knife that he had not released since he had acquired it. "I'm sure you realize that threatening me is not an option, I would rather die than give up any of my master's teachings." He hesitated then forced out, "I refuse to be controlled by your threats on my family as well."

These last words hung heavily in the air, and even Jiang Wei could hear the lack of conviction in them. The commander seemed amused at the words, and he stood, approaching the boy nonchalantly.

"Who said anything about me blackmailing you with your family's lives?" he inquired silkily. "I only said that to persuade you to come here. I assure you, by now, your mother is already dead."

Wei's heart stopped. The disbelief constricted his throat, and a deep pang resonated in his chest, threatening to shatter him.

"Did you think I would allow you time to run back to your beloved teacher with the news that you had been found out? Jiang Wei, I am truly disappointed. I was told you had a brilliant mind and even a fool should have seen this coming—"

Po-yueh gave little more than an animalistic scream of fury in response as he launched himself towards Sima Yi, brandishing the knife like a claw before him. Thoroughly blind to his previous pains, he stabbed and hacked at the enemy, barely noticing when he didn't make contact, only intent on hurting Yi as much as possible.

The older strategist sidestepped a particularly vicious swipe, deflecting the small blade quite easily with the metal hilt of his war fan. As Wei turned to attack again, Yi kicked out sharply and accurately, his heel connecting with the boy's ankle.

Jiang Wei cried out at the sudden agony that burned through his rage, losing grip on his weapon almost immediately. His right leg gave completely under him, and he plowed into the ground on his shoulder, the momentum of his aimed strike tumbling him quite a distance. He lay gasping, choking a bit on the pain and from tears that he hadn't noticed had long since spilled onto his cheeks.

"Know your enemy and you need not fear the result of a thousand battles. Find their weakness, exploit it and watch them collapse upon themselves."

The anger sparked again at this rather loose quote of the Art of War, and the strategist-in-training rolled over to face Sima Yi, ready to see that infuriating, condescending smirk as he stood over him. However, he was stunned to stillness when he saw the soft look in his enemy's eyes, an honestly pitying gaze that he had never thought possible in this man.

"You do not belong with Shu, Jiang Wei. In their eyes, you were and are still their enemy. None of them, not even your Zhuge Liang, can ever fully trust you," Yi stated bluntly, but not quite as coldly as the boy would have expected. "Especially now, how do you think it looks to them for you to have run willingly into the supposed enemy camp, without even a possible danger to your family to act as a reason for betrayal? Tell me, if you told them you had fallen into an enemy trap, how many of your supposed comrades would believe you?"

Wei could say nothing to this, the weight of the pain in his body, his mind and his heart restricting him from cohesive thought. Sima Yi drew close and crouched next to him, a surprisingly warm hand touching his shoulder. "Wei is your home, you should realize that you will never fit in anywhere but here."

Po-yueh heard the words but realized dimly that he couldn't process the meaning. His vision faded as he slid into unconsciousness, pulling him mercifully into a fleeting, but welcomed, peace.


End file.
